Test of dominance in Assembly polls

With the announcement of poll schedule for five state assembly elections activities on political stage is quite obvious. The elections of any nature hold significance in our country but the assembly polls create inquisitiveness across the nation because they not only decide the fate of a particular state but also indicate at aim and objective of the country without directly affecting the Central regime. Of the five states, there is no doubt UP Assembly polls are the most significant because it will decide the fate of Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav besides giving a real assessment of the BJP as well as the Congress in the state. The 7-phase UP elections has become more interesting as the Congress at Central dispensation is striving hard to restore its lost public base and has strategized to come to power in the state. Similarly, the BJP too is dreaming but the fact cannot be ignored that SP and BSP are better prepared for the poll battle than the national parties. However, the Congress has barely decided half of its candidates, while the BJP which has declared only first list of candidates is in no better situation. Whatever may be the arguments of these national parties regarding the delay in declaring candidates, the reality is that the parties which chose the contestants early are comparatively in a better position. Only the poll results will decide dominance of either party, but the nation is eying more at the poll outcome of Uttar Pradesh rather than Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.

The Election Commission while deciding the poll schedule for the five states clearly stated about being more stringent than in the past elections. The EC will not only keep an eye on the political parties and politicians but also on the bureaucrats. And to discourage the brazen show of money, it has already alerted the Income Tax and Narcotics departments. In coming days along with the EC, other departments would also remain on their toes. As per the EC instructions, the candidates have to open separate bank accounts for the poll expenditure. This is a welcome step that the poll panel is sparing no effort to check the usage of money but it would certainly be an uphill task to check it completely as the wealthy candidates have digested this fact that they can win election with splurging money in the poll process. If we believe the EC the candidates influencing voters in the name of caste and creed would be dealt with an iron hand and it will not allow the violation of the Model Code of Conduct in any circumstance. This would be a herculean task as the politics of all the parties in UP stay close to caste and creed.